The eagerly anticipated ‘Gran Turismo 5 Prologue™’ for
PlayStation®3 was released by Sony Computer Entertainment UK at
a recent launch event in London’s Marble Arch and was supported
by Lotus Cars who has two versions of the iconic Elise in the
game.

One of the capital’s largest underground car
parks was transformed into the GT5 Pit Lane which boasted some
of the stars of the game which is heralded as one of the most
realistic to date. Alongside the legendary 1996 Lotus Elise and
the now iconic 2004 Elise 111R, other heroes of the game turned
out to support the event including Audi R8, Aston Martin DB9,
Corvette Z06, Dodge Viper SRT10, Ford GT, TVR Tuscan Speed 6,
Ford GT and a Ferrari 599.

Mike Kimberley, Group Lotus CEO remarked, “We are delighted
to have supported this event and reinforce our commitment to
Sony Entertainment with whom we have a long and valuable
relationship. I’d like to commend the GT5 Prologue team on
this outstanding product and thank them for recreating our Lotus
Elise with such integrity and accuracy. We worked very closely
with the GT5 team to make sure the all the Lotus cars in the
game are accurate virtual representations of the real cars and
that they perform as closely to the real thing as gameplay
allows. ”

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe reinforced this sentiment
remarking, "Lotus have always been an integral part of the Gran
Turismo experience, and their ongoing support and commitment to
excellence translates into the quality of their cars in game".

Lotus is particularly excited about this most recent version
of the GT series as it has a distinct British flavour. For the
first time the GT Series includes a London city circuit enabling
fans to race around some of the city’s most popular landmarks
including Piccadilly Circus, Shaftesbury Avenue, Charing Cross,
the National Portrait Gallery and Trafalgar Square.

Lotus have appeared in 9 of the Bafta award-winning Gran
Tourism series and are set to feature in ‘Gran Turismo 5’, the
full title, which launches in 2009.

ENDS

Key Features Overview:
· The first ever Gran Turismo title with online racing: drive
online against up to 16 other Gran Turismo aces
· Race a total of 71 stunning, high-performance cars
· Race the Eiger Nordwand, the Daytona International Speedway,
the London City Track , the Fuji Speedway, Suzuka and the High
Speed Ring - and then race them in alternative layouts
· All-new physics engine means true next-generation vehicle
handling
· All-new and improved AI opponents for a nail-biting race
experience
· Access to Gran Turismo TV : a world of great motoring TV
programming online
· In-game museum featuring the history and heritage of the top
car manufacturers
· My Garage - a personalised homepage feature with calendar,
clock and map & weather of major race circuits worldwide
· Quick Tune facility allows you to adjust power, tyres,
suspension and more
· All in stunning High Definition at 1080p
· Drift Mode – The player’s drifting technique is measured based
on drift angles, racing lines, and speeds within evaluation
zones located at various turns on the course
· In Depth Car Tuning – Players have the ability to adjust the
vehicle’s performance, including power, tyres, suspension and
the ability for quick tuning whilst racing
· Two-player Split Screen Racing – Allows players to race
head-to-head offline
· New Race Events – Online racing fans can join in on a new set
of scheduled events and time trials